Showing 3 results

SUMMARY:
Field notes from the Trashiyangsi Valley describe crossing the main river, a poor camp at Lao, abundant but fruiting Bryocarpum himalaicum, a possible new aconite or delphinium, and measures against leeches, with bearings noted toward Me La and Trashiyang. The following day at Tobrang lists further plant collections including Campanula, Adenophora, Leptocodon, Begonia, and Impatiens.

CONTENT:
79

Trashiyangsi Valley, Aug. 28

Aconitum laciniatum 893
Delph. ludlowii 894
Geranium lambertii 895
Habenaria (Platanthera) stenantha 896
Clintonia alpina 898
Bryocarpum himalaicum 900

Crossed the main river here, we were greeted by masses of them. Not a very good day on the whole. Lao is such a foul camp. Found a new aconite or delphinium near here. Bryocarpum himalaicum growing in profusion about half way down, but all in fruit. It seems to be one of those which throw its fruit when green. What was left was all green, so I took it & bottled it with CO2. To cope with the leeches, we have wiped all the legs of our beds & chairs with salt water, as well as our shoes. Bearing from here towards the Me La seems to be about 20°. The main valley from Lao comes from a bearing of 315° - 330° & the river towards Trashiyang 190°.

Trashiyangsi Valley
Tobrang
Aug. 29.

336
Campanula colorata 903
Adenophora khasiana 904
Leptocodon gracilis 905
Begonia josephii 906
Impatiens 909
" 9

SUMMARY:
The diary describes travel from camp over multiple ridges with several river crossings, including a bridge where the mules swam, reaching cultivation and houses around 3300' before continuing to camp. On 24th June at Chunkar (12 miles; 6,041'; 80°), the day was mostly fine with brief showers, the route mostly a steady rise, and big lilies noted on a cliff around mile 6; birds and butterflies were numerous but flowers scarce. Plant collections listed include species of Argostemma, Impatiens, Clerodendrum, Begonia, Selaginella, Dryopteris, Callicarpa, Clitoria, Torenia, and Polygala.

CONTENT:
6

Argostemma sarmentosa 538
Impatiens 539
Clerodendrum hastatum 540
Begonia aff megaphylla 544
Selaginella monospora 543
Dryopteris cylindrostachya 545
Callicarpa vestita 546

Left camp to the north of the ridge, dropped down all we had climbed yesterday, to another river. Then along this till a side river comes in from the East. We crossed this by a bridge - the mules swam - showed a very steep climb up again to cultivation and a few houses near the top of a ridge about 3300'. Down again beyond this, over a river and up another ridge shoulder to camp. Many birds about but few seen. Butterflies numerous, but flowers few and far between.

24th June. CHUNKAR. 12 miles. (200.6) = 6,041' Temp. 80°. Rather a pleasant day. Last night the moon shone brightly, the only time we have seen it. The morning was fine and remained so most of the day, with odd showers 15 or 20 minutes. Nearly the whole way is a steady rise, steep in places. About mile 6 a big cliff is passed close to the road on the right hand side, we saw a number of big lilies on this.

Clitoria acuminata 548
Torenia vagans 549
Polygala ar

SUMMARY:
Camped at Tobrang in the Bashiyang Valley, the party plans a seven-day stay, dismisses the coolies, and notes leech problems and severely disorganized mail. Pimbo goes to T'gong to investigate the missing mail, while the diarist spends the day birding near camp and reports Ahmed Sheikh’s quick recovery. Heavy Bhutan–Tibet barter traffic is observed, and plant collections are listed.

CONTENT:
business in the morning, when he put it on.
This place is by no means free of leeches. It was last year, but we had a dry spell here then. We have decided to put in seven days here & have dismissed the coolies, paying them 2 tankhas a day. Pimbo has gone off to T'gong to find out what has happened to our mail if he can. It is completely disorganised, & we are getting no mail up at all. It seems very doubtful whether any mail is reaching Kumarikhata either, which is a serious matter.

Bashiyang Valley.
Tobrang
Aug. 30
Osbeckia capitata 913
Crotalaria capitata 914
Selaginella chrysocaulos 915
Erythrina arborescens 916
Impatiens 918
Adenophora khasiana 920
Shuteria ferruginea 919
Apios carnea 921
Didymocarpus pulchra 923
Inula nervosa 924
Phytolacca acinosa 926

30th August. Halt Tobrang. Fine most of the day.
Spent the day looking for birds in the jungle close to camp. There are any number of good birds about, but they are extraordinarily difficult to get, owing to the thick undergrowth. Ahmed Sheikh made a very quick recovery, being perfectly all right again in the morning. At the moment all seem to be pretty fit. This is the time that all the barter is done between Tibet & Bhutan, & we have seen hundreds of Bhutanese going up to Tibet with cloth etc, & returning with Tibetan cloth & salt. Men & women both carry great loads which must be